When training animals, it is beneficial for trainers to reinforce specific behaviors and acts performed by the animal by offering positive reinforcement. It is necessary to provide such reward in an immediate and non-distracting manner to maximize training because an animal's ability to associate reward with specific acts is limited to a very short period of time (approximately three (3) seconds). This ability quickly deteriorates with the passage of time and can be adversely affected by distracting movements or sounds produced by the trainer obtaining and delivering the reward.
Several known methods of providing positive reinforcement are currently employed by trainers. For example, the reward can be carried in one's hand, one's mouth (as done in many dog shows), one's pocket, a plastic or paper bag or a bait bag. Each of these methods, however, adversely affects the act/reward association time that is so crucial to effective training. Carrying rewards in the trainer's hand is distracting for the trainer and the animal in that the reward soils the trainer's hand, limits the trainer's ability to manually manipulate the animal's leash, body position or fully perform nonverbal gestures which results in fewer hand signals due to the hand's reduced mobility. Additionally, the animal's attention is directed at the hand holding the reward. Carrying rewards in one's mouth is also distracting of the trainer and the animal in that the trainer's mouth is soiled, verbal cues are hindered as the reward interferes with the trainer's ability to speak commands and because the reward is distracting as it is in full view of the animal.
Carrying rewards in one's pocket, a bag or a bait bag also hinders the training process in that rewarding an animal with reward may require the trainer to dig into his pocket, unzip or open the containment device causing harmful delay in the act/reward associate time and/or causing the animal to associate his reward with a noise such as a zipper opening, or Velcro® being pulled away or the resulting of a plastic or paper bag. Additionally, training an animal utilizing the disposable pocket requires the trainer to consciously count the quantity of rewards retrieved from the pocket and return any unwanted rewards before rewarding the animal; thereby increasing the act/reward association time. The disposable pocket may also be prone to falling off during prolonged training as the adhesive may lose its grip, or be prone to being knocked off by an exuberant animal, or inclement training conditions such as brush, high grass during field exercises. Likewise, devices such as bait bag with clip may also be prone to falling off the trainer when the trainer bends down and also in many of the same instances where the disposable pocket is likely to fall off. Common storage or disposal alternative include: (1) returning the excess rewards to the dispenser, (2) over-rewarding the animal or (3) storing the excess in hand or otherwise on the trainer's person.
Training animals requires skill, knowledge and a certain degree of patience. Maximizing training efforts also requires the right incentive and the right method of delivery. The above-mentioned methods of providing rewards are all utilized in an attempt to maximize training efforts. These methods, however, for the reasons previously stated, all produce distinguishable hindrances to maximized training. Therefore, the object of this invention is to provide a means of training animals utilizing rewards and to solve the above noted problems.